A57963:222
Christ Dying and Drawing Sinners to Himself
Christ dying and drawing sinners to himself, or, A survey of our Saviour in his soul-suffering, his loveliness in his death, and the efficacy thereof in which some cases of soul-trouble in week believers ... are opened ... delivered in sermons on the Evangel according to S. John Chap. XII, vers. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 ... / by Samuel Rutherford.Christ dying and drawing sinners to himself, or, A survey of our Saviour in his soule-suffering, his lovelynesse in his death, and the efficacie thereof in which some cases of soule-trouble in weeke beleevers ... are opened ... delivered in sermons on the Evangel according to S. John Chap. XII, vers. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 ... / by Samuel Rutherford.
London: printed by J.D. for Andrew Crooke, 1647
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
but that it breedeth assurance, in a reflect knowledge, always that a believer is in Christ, is not true: for, 1. I may believe, and be justified, and not know; yea positively doubt, that I believe and am justified;1 as thousands have pardon, and have no peace nor assurance of their pardon, and have faith in Christ, and in his free love, and have no feeling of Christ, and of his free love. For we believe amore truth of our own graces (and so of our faith and assurance of our pardon) then we can see or feel, which is Gods dispensation, ⟨p. 86⟩that our life should be hid with Christ in God; Ergo, the life of Faith, by which the just doth live, is hid; and above the reach of feeling at all times. 2. As Faith which is the direct act of knowing and relying on Christ for pardon, is a work of the Spirit, above the reach of reason; so also the reflect act of my knowing and feeling, that I believe and am in Christ, which proceedeth sometime from Faith, and the immediate Testimony of the Spirit; sometime from our walking in Christ, 1 John 2.3, 4. 1 Joh. 3.14. is a supernatural work, above the compass and reach of our Free-will, and is dispensed according to the spirations and stirrings of the free grace of God; and as the keeping of his Commandments,3 actu primo, and in it self, giveth Testimony that the soul is in Christ, and justified, even as the act of believing in it self doth the same; yet that we actu secundo, efficaciously know and feel that we are in Christ, from the irradiation and light of Faith, and sincere walking with God, is not necessary, save only when the wind of the actual motion and flowing of the Spirit, concur with these means; just as the Gospel-promises of themselves are life, and power, but they then only actually, actu secundo, animate and quicken withered souls, when the Lord is pleased to contribute his influence, in the shining of his Spirit. Otherwise I may walk in darkness, yea, b••eeve, pray, love, die for pain of love, and have no light […] reflect knowledge, and feeling that I am in Christ, Isaiah 0.10. I may be sick of love for Christ, call, knock, pray, confer with the watchmen, and daughters of Jerusalem, and be at a low ebb in my own sense; yea the beloved may to my feeling and actual assurance have withdrawn himself,